Type-holder for type-writers.



Patented Sept, |6, |902.`

N. L ,L A M H. M 9 7 0. N l

Fon TYPE WRITERS.

(Applicxation filed p r. -2, 1902.)

TYPE HLDER (No Model.)

` sse; :52

TM: ohms PETERS co, PnomLn'No., WASHINGTON, o. c.

UNITED STATES` PATENT FFICF..

ISAAC H. MALLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN F. BUTLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

T-YPEHOLDEJR FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,341, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed April 2, 1902. vSerial No. 101,103. (No model.)

`To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC H. MALLIN, a

`citizen `of the United States, residing in the ceedingly simple in construction and operation, requiring the minimum eort to attach and detach it, and also be of such a nature as to enable one to' thoroughly .clean the types without handling the ribbon or the types themselves.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is to restrict the device to the simplest possible movements in order that all confusion as to its method of attachment, detachment, and operation will be avoided and read-` ily understood.

In devices of this class it is common to employ a slotted plate through the enlarged oritice of which the type are separatelyraised to a center by the depressionof any key representing a letter lin order that the type may pass through the enlargement and beV sus` pended in that portion of it too narrow to per mit the head of the type to drop. Heretofore devices for this purpose have been so constructed that it has been imperative to clamp them to the type-Writer frame by crude methods and afterward set by separate and positive movements the mechanism intended for grasping and releasing the type when raised .in an elevated position for the purpose of being cleaned, and in none of the devices of record has the importance of holding theribbon ont of the way of the type when being raised to a center been recognized.

The distinguishing feature of my invention, therefore, lies in the novelty hereinafter fully explained, in that it simultaneously performs the dual function ofholding back the ribbon as well as holding the type in an elevated position for the purpose of being examined or easily cleaned, the only movement' necessary to manipulate it being the depression and subsequent release of the upper-case key found on Remington No. 6 type-writers in `particular and others constructed upon the shift-rail and type-basket principle. Furthermore, the unpleasant transfer of typewriter ink which follows the handling of the ribbon or types when it becomes necessary to clean the latter is so generally distasteful to operators that rather than soil their lingers with an ink which is quite difficult to remove type-writing machines are permitted f to go nncleaned until the ink solidifies in the interstices of the types, the impressions from which resemble a blot more than a letter of the alphabet.

The purpose of my invention, therefore, is to overcome the objections cited, as well as the defects common to devices of record, by rendering the entire operation clean, pleasant, and effectual.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty by which the primary object and another object hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure lis a plan view of my type and ribbon holding device, showing its application to the machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

A is the wider portion of the holder resting upon a Remington No. 6 ribbon-guide C, the smaller and ribbon-holding part of the device being narrower than the body portion and having the appearance of being divided at one end, the upper portion being folded backward upon itself and again forward to form a space between, the intervening space between the lower portion A2 and upper portion A3A forming the seat A for holding the ribbon back against the ribbon-guide C. In operation the lower portion A2 is passed under the ribbon and the upper portion A3 over the ribbon. This ribbon-holding portion and seat A being narrower than the cut-out in rib- `bon-guide is then pushed from the operator,

carryingthe ribbon with it, until the lower portion is under and the upper portionis over the narrowest part of the ribbon-guide, while the other extremity is hooked onto the shift-rail IOD E, which has previously been thrown forward and away from the operator by raising the lever controlling it, which not onlyholds the ribbon out of the way of the type when heing raised toa center, but shows the type F having passed through the orifice A5.restng upon the straight edge of the plate adjacent thereto, the spring which actuates the shiftrail holding said straight edge of the typecleaner` firmly against the shank of the type and partially under its head.

A4 is a tongue projecting from the end of portion A2, which serves as a guide for catching up the ribbon and directing it to its seat A' between the upper and lower portions A2 A3 of the fork constituted by these portions.

I have shown my invention in the drawings as applied to a Remington No. 6 typewriter; but it will nevertheless be understood that the same may with but slight variation and without departing from the principle thereofpbe used with equal advantage on other type-writing machinesconstructed upon the shift-rail and type-basket principle.

The im provedl t ype-cleaner therefore consists ofaplate A,oblongin general contour and formed of any suitable material, hooked at one end B2 B3 and shaped in such a manner at the opposite extremity (preferably of one piece longitudinally slit adjacent to the respective edges thereof, the lower portion bent at a right angle) so as to forma ribbon-seat A and a division or space between the upper and lower portions which are parallel with each other, the lower portion A2 passing under the ribbon and Within that part of the ribbonguide which is cut out but farthest from the operator, while the upper portion A3 passes over the top of ribbon, said upper and lower portions straddling the narrow part of the ribbonguide found at the extreme end of cut-out in ribbon-guide. By hooking the other end onto the shift-rail the mere act of depressing the upper-case key draws the ribbon-holding type-cleaner toward the operator with a reciprocating motion on the ribbon-guide to receive the type F through the orifice A5, when by yraising the finger from said upper-case key the straight edge of that part of the typecleaning plate bordering on the- D-shaped orifice automatically passes partially under the stud or head Aof said type and presses against its shank, firmlyholding it in the desired position for cleaning. Furthermore, when cutting stencils for the reproduction of mimeographic copies it is very essential that each type should be thoroughly cleaned to give a sharp impression on the paraffin sheet, and it is also imperative that the ribbon should be held out of the way when the types consecutively strike the stencilprotecting sheet. To provide for this very necessary feature of modern duplicating, it will be seen that the'hooked portion, with its accompanying arms B and B', can be detached from the body of the plate A, leaving the ribbon-holdingpart performing its function separately and independently,` and after cutting the stencil the hooked portion can again be attached to the shift-rail and plate for the purpose of removing what fiber may ll the interstice's of the type or what paraiiin may a d here to the surface of the types.

Having fully described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l l. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail of the type-writer, of a plate having means for engagement under the type-head when elevated and means operatively connecting said plate with the shiftrail to cause it to alternately engage and release the type-head as the rail is oscillated, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail of the type-writer, of a plate having an orifice for the passage of the type, adapted to engage under the head when elevated, and means operatively connecting said plate with the shift-rail to cause it toaltern ately engage and release the type-head as the rail is oscillated, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail and a ribbon-guide of the type-writer, of a plate having means for engagement under the type-head when elevated and means operatively connecting said plate with the shift-rail to canse it to alternately engage and release the type-head as the rail is oscillated, said plate resting upon said guide, substantially as set forth. 4. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail of the type-writer, of a plate having means for engagement under the type-head when elevated and means for engaging and deflecting the ribbon, and means operatively connecting said plate with the shift-rail' to cause it to alternately engage and release the type-head as the rail is oscillated, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device for holding type-writer types whilebeing cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail of the type-writer, of a plate having means forV engagement under the type-head when elevated, and a fork for engaging and detlecting the ribbon, and means operatively connecting said plate with the shiftrail to cause it to alternately engage and release the type-head as the rail is oscillated, substantially as set forth.

6. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with a ribbon-guide of the type-writer havinga typeopening, of a plate having means for engaging and supporting the type when elevated, said plate having a wide portion adapted to rest upon said guide at the sides of said typeopening and anarrower portion having means IIO for engagingand deiiecting the ribbon,

` y adapted to fit in said type-opening, substantially as set forth.

7. In a device for holding type-writer types while being cleaned, the combination with the oscillatory shift-rail of the type-Writer, of a plate having means for engaging under the type-head when elevated and means detachable from said plate for operatively connecting it with said shift-rail, substantially as set forth. y

8. In a device for holding type-Writer types While being cleaned, the combination of a plate having means for engagement under ISAAC H. MALLIN.

Witnesses:

PAUL E. BUEDEFELDT, E. SCHAFF. 

